February 2006

Club Info & Events

Details of the January Meeting
The January meeting brought a decent turnout considering the questionable weather we were having. Meeting discussion included having a new digital copy of our logo made since Sherlock has had a bit of cosmetic work done including a nose job and the addition of a puff of smoke from his pipe. This will also make the task of having shirts and other items made up a little easier. We also discussed the idea of having Cribbage and Backgammon games available for members to play if they wished. Both ideas got positive reviews and were agreed upon.
We also discussed our upcoming road trips to the new Gold Leaf Tobacconist in Seabrook, NH in January and to Paul Bonaquisti's new shop, the Park Lane Tobacconist in February. Those interested in going up to Paul's in February are encouraged to attend the February meeting to help coordinate the trip arrangements.

A Sign of Four - The SHPC Tobacco Blend of 2005

At this past meeting we substituted one of our raffle blends with a tin of our 2005 Club Blend called "A Sign of Four" and was happily won by Greg Maneiro. This month we plan to do it again. This unique blend is made with a variety of different tobaccos including some 20 year old Amphora Blue and a little cigar leaf. Inside each tin you'll find a torn piece of the original recipe since this blend will never be made again. Its easy on the palate and could definitely be considered an all day smoke.
Ernie Quintiliani of Watch City Cigar in Framingham, MA tells me there are still around 10 tins left and are available on a first come first serve basis. If you're interested in buying a tin or two of this one of a kind, collectible tobacco give Ernie a call and pick up a couple. He can be reached by calling (508)628-0112 or you can email him at help@watchcitycigar.com .

Hello from "Dr. Bob" Kiess
I meant to put this in the last newsletter but it slipped my mind. I heard from our old friend Bob Kiess now living in the Green Mountain State. Here's what he said:

Hi guys,
Just to let you know I am alive and well and living in Vermont where it's -5 to -10 degrees daily and I love it. Unfortunately my house is not finished but will be by 12-26. Making pipes will be delayed a lot this year!!! I plan to go to Chicago and may try to get to NY show in March, especially to meet up with my great, ole buddies. I was just able to get on line through my office about 1 month ago so I pulled up the SHPC letter.

Keep in touch and I'll do the same.     Bob

Bob also plans to attend the NY Pipe Show this March. If you'd like to email Bob yourself, let me know and I'll send you his address.

SHPC Road Trip - January 21, 2005
The NEW Gold Leaf Tobacconist - Seabrook, NH
                                                                   By Nelson Pidgeon
It seems that most of the news we hear these days about smoking and the tobacco industry is not very promising. For instance, watching the tobacco taxes rise steadily into the stratosphere; hearing about business closings as a result of the smoking bans while new bans are being proposed every other day; and how about the fact that in California they even declared tobacco smoke a toxic substance. Somebody stop the madness!!
So once in a while it's nice to be able to report something positive and promising. This is one of those times.

Partners Joe and Linda Noradaki had been looking for a bigger location for their shop the Gold Leaf Tobacconist in Seabrook, NH, but they were having some difficulty finding the right place at the right price. With fewer and fewer places where people can smoke outside the home, more and more people have been frequenting the local tobacconist to enjoy their cigar, pipe or cigarette without having to listen to anyone harass them about it. The Gold Leaf, once a one room shop that doubled as a walk in humidor with an adequate but snug area for patrons to sit, was quickly outgrowing itself. To make matters worse, Two Guys Smoke Shop had opened up a brand new shop a few doors down the road.... [Read More]

Maine. The way life should be.... or maybe not?                     By Nelson Pidgeon

I don't know about you but when I think of Maine I imagine it as being a place that could very well have had a significant history for pipe smoking. With its many ports and rugged sea coast I can easily visualize the scene of a ships captain standing on the dock, barking out orders to his crew as the holds of his vessel are loaded up with provisions for a long journey out to sea. I can't imagine this scene without seeing the captain puffing rhythmically on a very well smoked briar, clenched effortlessly in his teeth and looking very much as if it has become a permanent part of his dental work.  [Read More...]

Pipes and Tobacco - A Sellers Market
Well, there's no sense in denying it anymore! We're in an absolute seller's market concerning pipes and tobacco! Just a quick look on the popular auction site E-Bay on any given day will confirm this statement. Lately every middle of the road estate pipe from firms like Savinelli, Nording and Stanwell have been commanding tip top prices, some of them even bringing close to what you could have bought the pipe new for! High grades have been equally over priced and it's a rare day when you're able to sneak one away from the next guy at a fair price. Over the last couple of months there's been quite a few auctions by Chicago based Dunhill collector and historian John Lorring. He's had nearly a dozen vintage tins of tobaccos from companies like John Cotton, Savory's and Drequer's & Sons. Most of the 4 oz'ers were selling for a minimum of $250.00 with some going much, much higher!

For the last couple of years we were in a buyer's market and there have been some tremendous buys from on line e-tailers and E-Bay. I myself took FULL advantage of this and have built up a large collection of pipes which I probably wouldn't have been able to do at today's prices. There are two ways we can look at this "upswing". We can say damn, if there's an item we really want, we're going to have to fork over considerably more to own it than in times past. We can also say wow, with the p&t market being this strong there must be more pipe enthusiast's joining the fold and that's something that's good for all of us................... Dock J. Perry        

Occasionally I'm looking for a news item to help fill out this newsletter. So if you have some interesting
pipe, tobacco or smoking related news, or would like to share your knowledge on a particular
pipes and tobacco related subject, please send it along and maybe I'll use it. (Preferably by e-mail).